Thicker Than Water
by hollyivy7
Summary: Where did you think Gaara got his red hair and green eyes from? Harry Potter gets the surprise of his life when he meets his brother. He struggles to keep his magic from Gaara. But what he doesn't know is that Gaara has secrets too... Naruto/HP crossover
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter or Naruto, never will. Too tired to come up with something witty, apologies.

* * *

Harry was actually having a pretty nice summer this year. The Dursleys were off in Mexico, and they had obviously refused to take him along.

Harry didn't mind this at all. He had even waved them off cheerfully when they had left ("Goodbye Uncle Vernon! No, I won't blow up anything, that was only once! Don't worry, there will be nothing freaky going on in your house. Yes, yes, Aunt Petunia. I'll still clean and work with the garden. Would be a waste of the five years I tended it if I gave up on it now! And, Dudley, I could care less about your video games. You think I'm going to burn them, sacrifice your Halo to a pagan bonfire? Well there is that ritual.. Kidding, Big D, just kidding! Have a nice trip now!").

So Harry was content. There had been no Dementors, no Howlers, and no creepy house-elves. It had been an mundane July. Until now.

Harry was sitting pretzel-leg style on the couch when he first noticed the strange boy. The boy, he'd call him Brick for now, though his hair was less brick-colored and more blood-copper stained, was just standing there. He was dressed strangely and had a huge gourd strapped to his back. Harry wasn't all that worried though. The blood wards would keep any unwanted intruders out, so Brick probably didn't have any malicious intentions toward him.

Eventually, Harry got tired of watching Brick stare intently at his door. The guy probably had the wrong house anyway. He would talk to the poor sod and clear any misunderstandings.

* * *

Gaara, though he would never admit it, was nervous. He showed no signs of it outwardly, of course. He was Gaara of the Desert, fearsome shinobi and Kazekage of Suna despite his young age. His forehead was smooth and unfurrowed, his eyes perfectly blank, and his hands as dry as the desert sand. But yes, Gaara was nervous. Why? It all started after the eventful Chuunin Exams, nearly a month ago.

_~~~Flashback Start~~~_

_Knock, knock. Gaara slowly turned his head to the door. "You may come in," he said. _

_Temari poked her head out cautiously. Although Gaara had changed since his fight with Naruto, he was still dangerous and unpredictable. Temari remembered the last time a messenger had interrupted Gaara and shivered. She chose her words carefully, "Our father left a will behind."_

_Gaara stared back with his head slightly cocked, as if saying, your point? They knew that the former Kazekage held no lost love for him. Temari decided that physical evidence would work best and fished out a neatly pressed envelope. She handed it to Gaara, who gave her a slight nod of acknowledgment, and then got the hell out of that stifling room, not once exposing her back to him in her departure. Gaara turned his piercing gaze onto the small white paper. He opened it slowly and with an extra-thick layer of sand on his hand (Gaara wouldn't put it past his father to attempt to poison him from the grave). He could not hold back a sharp intake of breath._

If you are reading this, I am deceased. I do not expect you to grieve - I would not grieve for you either.

_That wasn't true actually. Gaara had felt a minuscule pang of loss when his father's death was revealed. He had went out that afternoon and carved a 50-foot statue of the Kazekage in the middle of the desert. Gaara had later destroyed the sculpture in a fit of rage, but felt that it was the thought that counted._

However, there is one thing I owe you, and that is the truth. Karura was not your birth mother. Your real mother was Lily Evans.

_There was a buzzing sound in his ears, and he could hardly breathe. A mother, a real mother. Not a stranger that had cursed Suna, cursed her child and named him for carnage._

Do not get your hopes up. She is long dead, dead for thirteen years now. A year after Lily had you, she birthed another boy: Harry James Potter. He is your half-brother, and you will seek him out.

This is my only and last favor to you. Why, you are probably asking. You hate me, and the feeling is mutual. But I held a great affection for Lily. She would want this for you, and so this is my dying gift for her. Because Gaara, your mother loved you. Would have died for you, and that is the truth.

Goodbye. May you find a reason to live.

_Gaara raised a trembling hand to his forehead. Ai. He traced his scar with his finger. Could it be that he was...loved? _

_~~~Flashback End~~~_

So it was his stupid father's fault for going and dying on him. What was he supposed to do after he read that letter? Gaara couldn't refuse him! And that brought him to his current situation. He was in front of Number 4, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey (in freaking England!), and poised to knock. Gaara steeled his resolve and brought his knuckle against the door - only to find the door already opened.

A green-eyed boy blinked sheepishly at him, "Hello there." He had messy hair, crooked glasses, messy everything, basically. Gaara let his hand fall. The boy offered a smile. "You've been standing outside the house for over an hour. Are you looking for the Dursleys?" he asked politely."Because they're vacationing in Mexico right now."

Well, that was slightly embarrassing. "No," Gaara replied. "I'm looking for a Harry James Potter." The boy looked even more confused than before, if that was even possible, "That's me."

"Hello, then," Gaara said. Harry, that was his name, waited patiently. "I'm Gaara," he added. This communicating thing was difficult. Why was he here again? Oh, right. He continued, "I'm your half-brother."

* * *

Author's Note: I'm terrible, I know. I have five other stories that I haven't updated in, like, a month. But seriously? I had to write this. So, standard conclusion.

REVIEW PLEASE! Suggestions, comments, encouragements, questions, compliments, flames. Send them all.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry was just a little bit lightheaded from Gaara's sudden announcement. His first thought was of course, denial. No way he had a brother. His parents would have said something, anything. _Dumbledore_ would have said something. Besides, how could his mother (because it was obviously going to be his mother's child if anyone's with those unblinking green eyes and that fiery red hair) hide such a huge secret? It was impossible.

Then came the nagging doubts. What if this Gaara was really his brother? He thought wistfully of the Weasleys' big family. Sirius was a wonderful godfather, and Harry couldn't be happier with him. But a real family, a brother with whom he was tied to with blood, that would really be something. The chances of this being true was low but maybe, just maybe... The first seeds of hope were planted, and Harry stepped aside to let Gaara in.

* * *

"You can, er, sit," Harry gestured to the couch behind Gaara. Gaara sat, arms crossed over his chest and back straight. His face clearly asked Harry, now what? Harry looked frantically for an icebreaker. "I'll make tea?" he offered. Without waiting for an answer, he dashed out. There was just something about the boy. Perhaps it was the dark circles under his eyes that made him look like he hadn't had a night of sleep since he was born. Or it was the intricate scar on his left forehead that felt downright sinister. Either way, Gaara was not a normal person.

Free from the stifling atmosphere, Harry could breathe a little easier. First step? Owl Professor Dumbledore. He would be able to do something. And second? Well, he had better make some damn good tea.

* * *

The tea was finished. That was bad. Drinking tea occupied them so that they had something to do. Now their mouths were empty, and they would be expected to make conversation. By the way Harry kept glancing at him nervously from beneath his fringe, Gaara surmised that it was his job. Have it your way, he thought without malice. "My father recently died," Gaara started without a preamble. Harry opened his mouth, presumably to offer his condolences, the silly boy. Gaara did not give him a chance. He continued, "He left behind a request. A dying will, if you wish. And that was to find my younger half-brother. You."

Harry opened his mouth and closed it. "How do I know this is true?" he questioned suspiciously. Gaara handed him a creased photograph, worn with age. A brown-haired man with a scornful face glared out of the picture. His arm was loosely wrapped around a bare shoulder. The woman he held wasn't easy to make out - she had turned just when the picture was taken, leaving only a blur. All Harry could see was red hair and a glimpse of vivid green eyes. But that was enough. Those were Lily's eyes, his eyes, and now Gaara's eyes. He turned over the photograph gently, revealing faded and barely legible script. He squinted and just barely managed to read it.

_Kaze-_

_This past year has been amazing. The Village of the Sand is beautiful, and the people are wonderful. And you especially have been good to me. But as we both know, I do not belong here. I belong in Britain, with my people, with...James. You have helped realize many things, and I will never forget you. What is that phrase you so often say? "As long as the wind whispers softly of the sun and storms of lore, this shadow will remain, faithful and forever yours." _

_I did love you, and I do love our son. Perhaps one day, I'll visit your strange, promised land._

_-Lily_

Harry swallowed the sudden lump in his throat. Oh. _Oh._

_

* * *

_

The sappy moment was long over, and Gaara stared at Harry's scar unabashedly. How strange for a civilian in peaceful times to have such an injury. Harry had attempted to cover it, but he was no match for Gaara's sharp eyes. Even now, his brother (brother? part of Gaara still doubted) was self-consciously smoothing his bangs over his forehead. "Why do you do that?" Gaara asked curiously. Harry caught his lip between his teeth and nibbled, another habit of his. "Do what?" he replied. Gaara said bluntly, "Cover your scar."

"I-it's ugly, isn't it?" Harry fidgeted at Gaara's relentless gaze. Finally he gave in, "It has bad memories for me. I got it in the car accident that my dad and my mum, ah our mum, died in."

Gaara's eyes softened slightly, "Aa. Lily-san." At Harry's confusion, he elaborated, "It is a term of respect." Gaara did not mention that he hardly respected anyone. But a woman who could capture the interest of the former Kazekage and keep it after both their deaths was a force to be reckoned with. "She must have been truly beautiful. May I see a picture of her?" he asked politely. Harry stood up, "Sure."

"You haven't seen a real picture of her yet?" he asked, not expecting an answer. "No," Gaara stated. "I was not aware of my biological mother until two months ago."

Harry startled. To not know your own mother! Even Petunia hadn't been cruel enough to hide her sister's entire existence. With a lot more sympathy, Harry motioned for Gaara to follow him upstairs.

* * *

**Author's Note**: Wow. Thanks for the reviews; I think that's the most I've ever gotten. So of course now, I'll be asking for even more. I've never been able to break 50, so I'd like to reach that.

Just a few explanations:

1. I know Gaara's eyes are reported to be turquoise, but this fits better in my story. Besides, the rest of his family has all dark eyes. :P

Appearance wise, I imagine Gaara to be just a little shorter than Harry. They're both skinny little bleks and have the whole waif thing going on. And of course they're bishounen. :P

2. Harry is 14 and Gaara 16. This story is set before the _Goblet of Fire_ and after the events of the Chuunin Exam.

3. Okay, this is the whole low down on the Lily-Kazekage thing. They met when Lily was around 18 and before the Kazekage was actually Kazekage, around 22 years of age. They fell in love, or something quite like it, and Lily birthed Gaara. However, she still loved James and so left Gaara with his father. The Kazekage returned to his other girlfriend, Karura, with whom he had Temari and Kankurou beforehand. This is going into completely AU, but stay with me. Gaara's father told her his name was Kaze, for wind, because the manga never actually releases his name.

Hidden Villages are hidden somewhere in the world. They are not in an alternate dimension or time. They're just really, really hard to find.

5. There's a few awkwardly written sentences in here. My bad. Tell me and I'll fix them. This was actually really rushed. I will probably not be updating this for a while because school sucks.

6. I got favorited by a few well-established authors, which was super cool. It's like a shout-out from a celebrity. Much love guys, much love.

7. Thanks for all the anonymous reviews! **To Mad Hatter of Duck Sauce, thanks for your review. It was sweet and really cheered me up. Gaara is one of my favorite characters too. He is definitely a cutie. **

**And to 't-bone', who wrote "thiz is rely stupid and **n lame"... Honestly, this didn't bother me much. Though, first flame! Woot, woot. It wasn't that insulting so I'm not going to do that thing that authors who are pissed at flamers do. You know, the whole, pick apart the flame grammar mistake by grammar mistake and pretend you're okay with it when you're clearly not. **

**Check my polls and other stories please. Ja ne!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

The instruments on Dumbledore's desk started vibrating madly. He placed a hand on a rapidly spinning, silver knick-knack. McGonagall, who was there for their ritual afternoon tea, jumped in surprise. "What on earth is wrong?" she exclaimed alarmed. "I wonder," the wizard replied with a curious glint in his eyes. "I wonder."

The witch rolled her eyes at him, reassured by his composure. "You're planning something again, aren't you," she accused suspiciously.

Dumbledore merely smiled enigmatically in return, "Never."

* * *

"Your bedroom is very nice," offered Gaara, who could not think of anything else to say. In truth, compared to the other, almost obscenely decorated rooms, Harry's was pitifully under-furnished. This was not to say it was uncomfortable, because it was not. His room had a homey, lived-in feeling to it, despite the ugly peach color of the wall and the pile of broken toys shoved off to the side. Harry's things were strewn haphazardly across the floor, and an owl (Harry kept strange pets) in its cage hooted from the windowsill. Gaara narrowed his eyes at the barred window, but otherwise remained silent.

In the corner of Harry's room was a large trunk. He knelt down and whispered something that sounded like "lohamora" (Harry really was _quite_ strange). The trunk popped open, and Harry began rummaging through it.

He cleverly bypassed the moving photos and other magical knickknacks in favor of a simple Muggle picture. Remus and Sirius, who were outraged when they had discovered how little their godson knew of his parents, delivered two full photo albums. The picture he held now was one of his favorites. Harry was always careful while handling the particular photo.

A handsome, messy-haired youth grinned widely. He had on a neat tux, though he wore it a little awkwardly, as if he wasn't used to it. The boy's hazel eyes glinted mischievously behind a pair of round-rimmed glasses.

"That's James Potter," smiled Harry. The unspoken words were, _My dad._

Holding James's hand was Lily. Her long red tresses were placed in an elegant bun, with a namesake lily tucked behind her ear. She wore a flowing emerald dress that complemented her eyes. Lily's cheeks were reddened, chin tilted up pridefully, and her head was turned away from James, presumably in embarrassment.

Gaara had to force himself not to touch the photo, to trail a finger along Lily's visage. Harry may have had inherited most of his looks from his father, but for Gaara the opposite held true. He looked almost exactly like his mother: the same porcelain white skin, slim stature, and fine features. The only real difference was the slight upward tilt of his eyes, a nod towards the Kazekage's Asian background.

"Mother," he whispered wistfully. Somewhere in his mind, a head lifted at the familiar name. The cage rattled. Shukaku mumbled incoherently, "Whuh?" Gaara forcibly tamped down on the monster._ Nothing_, he soothed. _Rest._

Shukaku had been noticeably more quiet after confronting Kyuubi, the strongest of all sealed demons. Gaara had even snatched a few hours of sleep, dreamless and peaceful. Unfortunately, the tanuki was far from gone.

"You alright there?" asked Harry, concerned. Gaara had been digging his fingernails into his palms, jaw clenched, and frowning at the wall. He snapped out of his stupor. "Yes," Gaara lied. "Just surprised at how similar we look."

Harry hm-ed sympathetically and glanced towards his window. The sky was rapidly darkening. "It's getting late. Do you need a place to stay?" offered Harry.

Gaara shook his head, still distracted, "I already have somewhere to sleep." And by that, he meant that the tree in Harry's yard looked particularly comfortable.

The red-haired boy hesitated, "Are you...busy tomorrow?"

"No!" Harry said quickly. "Not at all. I'm never busy - well, no, that's not true - I mean, you can come any time you want."

Gaara gave him a smile that wasn't quite a smile, but that warmed his heart nonetheless, "Until tomorrow, then."

* * *

Sirius stared forlornly out a window. He sighed for what must have been the 7th time in 5 minutes. Remus steadfastly ignored him, keeping his eyes glued to his book. The section that he was currently reading was on the proposed origin of Pygmy Puffs. Fascinating, really. Now if only Remus could read his magical creatures book in _peace_...

His black-haired friend sighed again, right on cue. Although Sirius' health had improved greatly since the beginning of the summer and no longer looked like a concentration camp victim, he had the most miserable expression on his face. Finally, Remus gave up. He couldn't resist the puppy eyes, a diabolical deception that Remus entirely blamed Sirius' canine side for.

"What is it, Sirius?" the amber-eyed werewolf asked gently.

"Nothing," pouted Sirius.

Remus shook his head and pretended to return to his book, "Alright, if you say so."

The best way to get Sirius' attention was to ignore him, something Remus learned in his second year of Hogwarts. Sure enough, Sirius turned to him immediately.

"Harry," said Sirius wretchedly, and Remus immediately understood. He placed his book down - the pygmies could wait - and gestured for Sirius to continue.

"The first time I see him in eleven years, and he's practically ripped away from me!" Sirius spread his hands imploringly. "He's my godson! Dumbledore had no right to force him to stay with those horrid Muggle relatives of his; Harry would have been perfectly safe at Black Manor!"

Acting as the voice of reason, Remus interrupted, "But Privet Drive has the blood wards. Harry is most secure there."

"It's not fair, but life rarely is fair, is it?" he said wryly, sensing an argument coming. This was coming from a man who was marked for hardship since he was a young child, who gained three of the most wonderful friends in the world, only to have them torn cruelly away.

Sirius twisted his lips bitterly, "Believe me, I know that." He had served more than a decade in hell on earth for a crime he never committed. He had lost someone who was like a brother to him and was betrayed and framed by a so-called friend. Sirius was well-acquainted with injustice.

"I just - I just wish I knew what Harry was doing right now," Sirius said sadly.

At that very moment, he noticed a bird circling around the general area of the manor. The Black Manor was currently concealed and unplottable, so that nothing, including owls, could find it.

"Is that-" Sirius squinted. "Why yes it is! It's Hedwig!" He stuck his head out the window and whistled to Harry's bird.

Remus was confused. Why would Harry try to contact them when he knew they were in hiding? It must be something urgent, he realized and narrowed his eyes. _Honestly, Harry_, he thought exasperated. _Can't you stay out of trouble for once?_

_

* * *

_

Author's Note

....

*peeks out* Um, hipleasedon'thurtme! It wasn't my fault! It was, it was the Nargles!

Nah, I know I have no one to blame but myself. I've recently just fallen out of love with the Harry Potter fandom. I've got so many HP crossovers in my head, and the thing is, all of them seem to be the same! The Artemis Fowl, Yu-gi-oh!, and Naruto (yeah, I was working on a second one with Naruto in it. :P) crossovers were freaking identical. So I just, er, stopped writing?

Yes, I'm extremely sorry for taking so long to update. I did post a longer chapter this time, 1400 words. Forgive me?

On the bright side, thanks to all the readers (which have probably abandoned this fic for a fic that actually UPDATES. TT^TT) who reviewed. Actually, if it wasn't for your encouragements, I probably would still be sitting on my butt, staring blankly at an equally blank page.

Edit: 94 reviews. SO CLOSE! Something special for the 100th reviewer. :)

Review please!


	4. Chapter 4

"-Snuffles, please tell me what I should do. I'm very confused about all this, and I thought you would be the best person to ask. Love, Harry," Sirius read aloud to Remus with increasing panic. He shook the letter in the werewolf's face. "There's a complete stranger in his house! And Harry let him in! Good god, someone needs to teach him about stranger danger. Harry could be killed! That impostor could be anyone - a criminal, a serial killer, or even a rapist!" Sirius rambled.

Remus mused to himself, "Hm, I always knew that Lily's trip to North Africa to find rare potion ingredients sounded a little fishy. No wonder!"

"Oh my god. What if he's a rapist? Harry's alone with a RAPIST! A rapist who is pretending to be his brother! We must go save him!" Sirius shouted. He finally noticed that Remus was paying absolutely no attention to him. "Remus!" he exclaimed. "Didn't you hear me? Harry is in danger!"

Remus blinked. "Ah, yes. I heard you," he replied.

"Well then," Sirius made a grab for his coat, "what are you waiting for?"

Remus, with his superior reflexes (because being a werewolf did have its perks), snatched it up first. "Oh no you don't," he warned. "Remember the last time you acted without thinking? We ought to contact Albus and see what he thinks first. Furthermore, you are a wanted criminal in both the Wizarding and Muggle World. That sort of reputation precedes you and makes it quite difficult to get around."

Sirius nearly tore his hair out in frustration. "Don't you care about Harry at all?" he asked.

"Of course I do," Remus snapped. "But I'd rather not put all three of us in danger by doing something foolish. Now, send a message to Dumbledore before I strap you down to the chair."

"Fine!" Sirius screamed. "I will!"

"Good," Remus said calmly.

Sirius made a frustrated moan that sounded something like, "Guarghahh - goddamnit - youandyourbloodylogic!" and stalked out of the room. He also slammed the door closed in spite. Remus only rubbed his temples. He was fired from teaching at Hogwarts, so just why was he still _babysitting_?

* * *

Sirius had immediately sent a message to Albus, consisting of 90% conjecture and freaking out. After waiting for five minutes impatiently, he received a reply. Dumbledore had written back that he was quite sorry, but that would be too dangerous at this point, and why didn't Sirius just sit down and have some tea because Harry surely could handle himself, hadn't he dealt with much worse things?

Sirius said back that yes, while Harry was the Boy-Who-Lived and all that rubbish, he was also only fourteen years old, plus he was Sirius' GODSON, and Sirius really believed his going to Surrey would be best for everyone, just in case.

Their conversation had continued, with Sirius' side getting increasingly more vitriolic. In the end, he mailed a short letter that went like this:

_Albus,_

_You've helped me out a lot this summer, and I appreciate it. _

_However, Harry is my godson. And right now, he's in danger.  
_

_So kindly piss off, you old codger. If you need me, you can owl Privet Drive, because that is where I am GOING._

_- Your Beloved Snuffles_

Sirius reentered the room and said brusquely, "We came to a mutual agreement." Mutual agreement being that they both knew Albus was a bastard and only one of them would actually say this out loud.

"Alright," Remus sighed. "Glamours it is."

* * *

The doorbell rang, and Harry hopped up to get it. He smiled at Gaara, "It'll just be a second." But who on earth could it be? He opened the door and said with disbelief, "Sirius? Remus? What are you two doing here? No, what are you wearing?" The two men were dressed in suits, presumably to blend in. However, Sirius' tie was neon green with flamingos, and he was wearing his trousers backwards. They had obviously been in a hurry if Remus hadn't had time to force Sirius into something normal.

Sirius rushed into the house and patted Harry down. "Oh, are you alright Harry? I got here as soon as I could," he said worriedly as he checked Harry's eye for dilation. Finding no visible problems, he hugged his godson tightly.

Harry laughed, "Not that this isn't a great surprise, but why did you come? I was expecting an owl, not you two in person!"

Sirius' smile morphed into a scowl. He stalked into the living room. "You!" Sirius growled at the slightly surprised looking boy sitting innocently on the couch. He started stomping over to him when Harry tugged on his sleeve.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Sirius, what's with the angry face? That's Gaara! Didn't I tell you about him?" he tried to ask.

Sirius' face softened at Harry's words, and he said gently, "Yes you did, Harry. And that was very smart and very brave of you. You don't have to be scared anymore. Now, I am going to break that rapist's face, so you may want to close your eyes for this bit."

Remus was thumping his head on the wall nearby. Harry looked extremely confused now, "But...Gaara's not a rapist."

Sirius said horrified, "Oh no, he's brainwashed you. Is this what Remus was talking about? The Stocker Holming syndrome! It's worse than I thought."

He whipped around to face Gaara and withdrew his wand. "You!" he said again. "How dare you hurt my godson! I'm going to hex you into next Tuesday!" He raised his arm - only to have Harry tackle him. Neither of them noticed that Gaara had tensed up or that a small trail of sand had risen in his defense.

"Sirius! What the hell are you doing?" Harry yelled.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Remus apologized. "I couldn't stop him. You know how Sirius is once he gets an idea in his head."

Finally, Gaara spoke up. "It seems that we all have much to explain."

* * *

Author's Note: Sorry, this was a spur of the moment thing. I know it has plot holes large enough to drive a truck through, but it made sense in my head. So, er, suspend your disbelief shortly? Reviews are always welcome! I think I made a few errors so point them out for me.


End file.
